This chapter is dedicated to Chloe (Marshmallow Girl :D) coz…actually, I don't need a reason! She's just awesome :D
Chapter Ten – Proposal
"What?" I whispered.
"It's true, she's completely vanished into thin air!"
"Yeah, well, that's not my problem, is it?" I snapped. "Why not go and tell the Golden Trio to save the day like you always do?"
"Draco, I completely understand why you are angry," Dumbledore said softly.
"No. You don't." I flopped back down and tried to get comfortable again, making it clear I didn't want to talk about it, even though worry swelled up inside me. What was it with her and her annoying habit of going missing or nearly getting killed every two seconds?
I started shaking and didn't know why. Astoria was his responsibility, not mine. Dumbledore was the headmaster of Hogwarts, not me. It was his fault, not mine. Plus, I'm sure Dumbledore – labelled the most powerful sorcerer in the world – could save her himself. I wanted nothing to do with her anymore…not because I disliked her, but because I didn't want her in danger.
"There's no point in staying here, because I'm not going to change my mind, Professor."
"So there's nothing I can say?"
"That's right. There's nothing you can say." I said, even though part of me wanted to leave and find her right away. It was hard to resist leaving with Dumbledore, but I knew I couldn't.
"Very well," Dumbledore said as he walked back out of the dorm. "But you may regret it."
What the hell was he doing? Was he trying to put Astoria in danger or what? Argh! He'd made it so hard to stay. I couldn't just sit here and do nothing.
"Professor!" I called. Dumbledore poked his head round the door.
"Yes, Draco?"
"I'll come. I'll help you find her." But after that, I thought, that's it. That's it…it's finished now.
Dumbledore nodded. "I assure you you're making the right decision. Have you any idea where she might be?"
"Well, I think she's at…" I started, remembering my dream, "my home. I think Bellatrix took her to Malfoy Manor."
Dumbledore looked a little vacant. "Very well. We shall start there, then."
Then I remembered what Bellatrix wanted. Her Polyjuice Potion ingredients. I grabbed them from under my bed in the small bag they were stored in and then took Dumbledore's outstretched arm, and found myself standing outside a very familiar place indeed. Malfoy Manor.
The wrought iron gates that enclosed the gardens and the huge mansion were locked as usual. The albino peacocks that father kept roamed the perfectly straight lawns that surrounded the house. I knew we wouldn't be able to get in from the main entrance, so I decided that we'd use the secret entrance round the back that only I knew about.
"Come on." I lead the way as a harshly bitter wind blew through my hair. It was freezing.
After what seemed like a lifetime, we reached the back of the house. It was eerily silent and the pitch-black sky above Dumbledore and I was dotted with shimmering stars. I found the secret passageway – disguised as an ordinary-looking wall – and tapped it twice and the wall shifted to the right, revealing a large archway. "This way," I muttered. It was barely more than a whisper, but seemed louder when my voice bounced off the walls and echoed around the tunnel. Dumbledore didn't follow me.
"Aren't you coming?" I hissed. He shook his head.
"No…this is something you need to do yourself." Dumbledore whispered, and then he tapped the wall once again with his own wand and it shifted back into place, and I was left in the darkness.
OK, so I hadn't seen that coming. I was more scared than ever now. "Lumos," I whispered, and suddenly light filled the tunnel, illuminating the stone archway. Then I heard the voices.
They seemed to be getting louder with every step I took. I reached an old wooden door and pulled it open and found myself in the cellar – the lowest level of Malfoy Manor. I climbed up the stairs and pressed my ear against the door, listening.
"And what's your plan if the boy suddenly comes in without warning?" I heard Bellatrix say.
"Just do whatever you have to do to get rid of him!" Someone replied. I didn't know who it was, I didn't recognize the voice.
"And the girl? What do we do with her?"
"Greyback has taken care of her already." The person said.
"Where is she?"
"The library, upstairs on the second floor. She's locked in. For now, anyway."
The library. I had to get up there, but couldn't go the obvious way, or Bellatrix'd see me, so I took a detour, through the parlour and the hallway which leaded to the first floor. I bolted up the stairs and past my mother and father's room, up a second set of stairs and then found myself at the doors of the library. Locked. But I knew where the spare key was.
Honestly, being a Malfoy was so awesome at times.
I found the spare key and unlocked the doors to the library. It was a round, circular room with thousands of books upon curved shelves that stood against the walls.
"Astoria are you in here?" I whispered.
"Oh, thank god! I've been waiting in here for ages!" She cried as she emerged from behind a desk that was piled high with…junk.
"Well what did you expect?"
"I just…thought you didn't know I'd gone missing." She replied.
"Me? Never. I know everything," I grinned. "So what did Greyback do?"
"It doesn't matter, please just get me out of here."
"Hang on," I said as I plonked the bag full of Polyjuice Potion ingredients on a desk and scribbled Bellatrix a note, knowing she'd find it when she came looking for Astoria. "OK, follow me. And try not to make any noise or get killed in the process."
…
We'd escaped from Malfoy Manor and met up with Dumbledore, who took us back to Hogwarts shortly. I was actually getting used to this whole narrow-escape thing.
Astoria and I walked to the Slytherin common room together. Her skin was paler than usual and there were dark circles under her eyes. She was obviously extremely tired.
"Well I, for one, am exhausted. See you tomorrow." She said.
I raised my eyebrows. "Oh yeah," I grinned, "I go through all that and not even a hug? Wow, that is just wrong. Ah, well…I'll live."
She laughed. "It's going to take more than that, I'm afraid."
"Ha! Are you forgetting that I've saved your life about three times?"
"Fine," she smiled and then hugged me and once again, an ecstatic feeling swelled inside me and all worry and anger slipped away for a moment or two…
Ten Years Later…
"Ron!" I exploded. "This isn't funny!" Ron tried to keep in his laughter. It was mid-July and Ron and I were sat in a Muggle café. The sun was up and the sky was cloudless. A perfect summer's day.
"All right, all right. Listen, how about we go The Burrow and I'll help you there?" Ron suggested. I nodded with agreement.
It had been seven years since the war. The years had flown by and everyone had carried on with their lives as if nothing had happened. In the seven years, Ron had married Hermione and Harry Potter had married Ginny. I'd sort-of become friends with all of them except one. And we all know which one it is. Potter, of course!
…
The Burrow
"So…which knee do I get down on again?" I asked, confused.
"Draco, that's what normal people do when they get married. I still think you should hire Buckbeak and put the ring in it's mouth and then make Astoria go get it."
"It'll bite her arm off!" I exclaimed.
"Yeah…yeah, that symbolises an adventurous and courageous raltionship!"
"No, seriously, which knee is it?"
He sighed. "Any, it…it doesn't really matter." Ron said. "Look, what if I pretend to be Astoria? That'll help."
"Fine. Get over here then." Ron walked over to me and held out his hand. "What on earth are you doing?"
"Well, you are about to 'propose' to me, aren't you?"
"Alright, fine!" I took his hand and tried really hard not to laugh. "Astoria, I really like you and-"
Ron cleared his throat. "Like me? Oh, silly me, I thought it was a bit more than just liking me, Draco, considering your about to propose!" I only just managed to hold in my laughter at Ron's seriously rubbish imitation of Astoria.
"Astoria, I really love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you…Will you marry me?"
Ron's eyebrows shot up. "So Malfoys do have feelings, after all. And I was starting to think you were some sort of emotionless robot or something."
Hermione burst through the door and frowned at us. "I…am not even going to ask what you two are doing. Forget I ever came in here."
"Draco's proposing to Astoria later and needed my help, that's all." Ron explained. Hermione's facial expression changed instantly.
"That is so sweet! So are you taking her somewhere special?"
"Well…it's the place we had our first ever date, so it's quite special to me. The Three Broomsticks. Well I'd better be going now…wish me luck you guys."
"She'll say yes, you've got nothing to worry about," Hermione reassured.
"See you later," I said, and with a wave of my wand I Apparated into The Three Broomsticks…
…
I was terrified. What if she said no? My life would be over! No, really, I'd have to crawl under a rock and stay there for the rest of my life!
I took a deep breath as I watched her enter The Three Broomsticks. She looked beautiful, as usual, which made me even more nervous. She smiled and sat down next to me. We greeted and I ordered two butterbeers.
I took a deep breath. This was it.
"Astoria…all these years I've spent with you have been great and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Then I got down on one knee and took another deep breath and then…
How's that for a cliffhanger? Oh yeah, that's right, I'm gonna make you WAIT! But you can all probably guess what happens anyway… =D Review please, guys!